Introducing Tocco Studio!

Collection will delight design connoisseurs with its fresh take ondecorative objects for the home

November 2, 2016 – Today, award-winning graphic designer and interior design enthusiast, Laura Berkowitz Gilbert, launched Tocco Studio, a unique and innovative collection of hand knit felted vessels. The collection includes vases, trays and plates that are as beautiful as they are functional.

“Years ago, I saw a simple felted bowl at a store and was amazed that something as soft and floppy as knitted fiber could be transformed into a dense semi-sturdy vessel,” said Berkowitz Gilbert. “When I made my first felted bowl and experienced the transformation of a loosely knitted wool object into a dense structure of interlocking fibers, I was hooked! As I experimented with shapes, pushing the boundaries of the media, I became inspired to share the collection.”

The collection straddles the line between art and design and gives the collector flexibility in how to use the product. While some may see the line as objects d’art, and display them alone or in a grouping, others may use them to showcase flowers, branches or collectibles. The vessels have beautiful organic shapes that from a distance could be mistaken for ceramics. But, it’s up-close that the real magic happens.

“Tocco means ‘touch’ in Italian,” said Berkowitz Gilbert. “I love felt’s tactile nature, its softness, how it feels in my hand, and the malleability of its structure. Its slight ‘lumpiness' liberates it from the rigidity of other media and creates a beautiful imperfection.”

Berkowitz Gilbert has taken her keen design sense, honed as a graphic designer, and applied it to the wondrous world of felt. She has spent more than 20 years in the print and digital world designing ephemeral pieces such as branding programs, invitations, websites, etc. In launching Tocco Studio, Berkowitz Gilbert creates a tangible product that is intriguingly practical, lovely to hold and look at and built to last.

Tocco Studio will employ sustainable practices and up-cycle packaging, marketing materials and vessel inserts, whenever possible. Tocco products will be available on the brand’s website and soon at select retail stores.

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Tocco Studio, founded by Laura Berkowitz Gilbert, creates hand knit felted vessels and objects for those with discerning taste.